Yoshkar-Ola

Translated from Mari "Yoshkar-Ola" means "red city". This name was given to the capital of the republic in 1928. "Tsarev city on Kokshag" it was named during the construction in the distant 1584, and it stands on the bank of the tributary of the Volga River. This is the only city in Russia whose name begins with the letter “y”. There are 265,000 people living here, most of them Mari. In Yoshkar-Ola you can get acquainted with the unique traditions and customs of the indigenous people, hear its singing language and see beautiful national costumes. Therefore, planning your visit to the capital of Mari El, we included a sightseeing tour of the city and the National Museum of the Republic. Traveling around the city, you should try original dishes of Mari cuisine: meat soup "onar" and beet kvass, three-layered Mari pancakes "coman melna".

The capital of the Republic of Mari El is called “Little Europe in Russia”, because relatively recently began to build up copies of world architectural masterpieces: in the midst of the Mari forests there was St. Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace and even the embankment, almost exactly repeating the main embankment of the Belgian city of Bruges. Here grew and the Bavarian castle Neuschwanstein, and a reduced analogue of the Spasskaya Tower, and the Tsar Cannon, although it does not shoot.

We’re sure you’ll enjoy The 12 Apostles Complex, a kind of open-air animation theater. Every three hours from 9:00 to 21:00 on the balcony of the third floor of the architectural complex with a tower clock, the left gate opens to the church hymn with a bell ringing and the left gate appears sitting on the donkey Jesus Christ and his disciples: the Apostles Andrew the First-Called, Peter, John the Theologian, Jacob Zabedeyev, Matthew the Evangelist, Thomas the Unbeliever, Philip of Bethsaida, Bartholomew, Jacob Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon Cananite and the latter, Ponuriskav, Iudariska, head. Judas is holding a bag of thirty pieces of silver, which he received for betraying Jesus Christ.

There are in the Mari capital and the new Kremlin of red brick (instead of the lost wooden), as well as monuments to American actress Grace Kelly and her husband Prince Rainier of Monaco (this pair symbolizes marital fidelity). In addition, the city has the first Russian monument to Patriarch Alexy II and a monument to the first Bishop of Mari Leonid.

Near the art gallery there is a monument to the founder of the city, Prince Ivan Andreevich Obolensky. But the most famous sculpture is located near the main building of the University of Mari. There is a bench where Yoshkin's cat sits emphatically. Cat’s nose always shines in the sun, because students, preparing for a session, traditionally stroke it “for good luck”.

Along the Belgian embankment of Bruges are stretched beautiful multi-colored facades of buildings built in the Flemish style – these are important ministries, committees and departments. On the embankment there is also a monument to the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, who made a significant contribution to the development of Mari lands.

You will see on a sightseeing tour of Yoshkar-Ola:

• The Yoshkin Cat monument to him was installed in 2011 on Lenin Square and to this day crowds of tourists flock to him to take a memorable photo and pet the cat for good luck.
• monument to Obolensky-Nogotkov - the founder of the city of Yoshkar-Ola
• "Clock with a donkey" - on the building of the art gallery
• Obolensky Square - Nogotsky - made in the majestic Venetian style
• Tsar-gun
• Monument to the Holy Martyr Bishop Leonid of Mari
• clock with moving figures of the holy apostles
• Amsterdam embankment with sculptural compositions
• The Annunciation Tower with a chime fight
• And much more - the secrets of the route will not be disclosed.

You will visit:

The National Museum of the Republic of Mari El - it reflects the flora and fauna of the region, materials of history and ethnography, material and spiritual culture, traditions and customs of the Mari people, other Finno-Ugric peoples, as well as all national groups living in the Republic of Mari El - Russians, Tatars, Chuvash, etc. In the collection of the museum 134 thousand items of the main fund.